In the Shadows
by sweetsorrowthroughEternity
Summary: Trained from a young age to be the next Toad Sannin, 10 year old ANBU captain trainee Naruto is given the S rank mission of a lifetime. Enter the Ninja Academy undercover and locate the two most promising ninja applicants to become the other two Sannin.
1. Prologue

**Sorrowful Seraphim:** Dang, it's been a while….oh man…I know all my Take My Hand readers are really pissed at me…but this is a new year…and hopefully it'll be better than the last one…Let's start with this new story…I had a good idea, so I'm going to go with it. It's my first Naruto fic, but I can do it…so here goes….

**Summary:** From 4, Naruto was trained by Uchiha Itachi to be an ANBU, by Jiraiya to be the next Toad Sannin, and by Sandaime to be a future hokage. Even after Itachi left, Naruto stayed and trained in the ANBU and reached the level of Tokubestu Jounin. As an ANBU captain-trainee at 10 years old, Naruto is given an S-rank mission. Join the ninja academy and scout the ninja applicants for the other two future sannin. Join a smarter and stronger Naruto on his quest to find the village's most promising ninja, save the village from multiple threats, and keep his true identity a secret to those around him.

**Warnings:** Language, Violence

**AN:** Well…I tend to use A LOT of basic Japanese dialogue…so if you don't the basics, feel free to ask me to put a note in future chapters…I know that many who read manga and fanfics and such tend to know the basics…so I'm not going to put footnotes or anything, and I also explain most of the meanings in the surrounding context, but if there's a word you just don't understand, feel free to ask me…and I'll be sure to put the note in the next chapter.

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Prologue: A New Assignment, A New Era

////////////////////Naruto///////////////////////

The fresh, untainted scent of morning reached his enhanced senses as he sped quietly through the forest foliage. If one could see through his kitsune mask, they would see his face contorted in deep thought. His expression changed to alertness when he heard a small sound to his left. He glanced over to its origin, only to see a small squirrel hobbling along the forest floor below. Sometimes having sharper senses wasn't a good thing after all. And so he continued onwards, his ankle-length black trench coat flapping in the wind.

As he neared the edge of the forest, he could clearly spot the hokage tower in the distance. He was unsure of why Sandaime had summoned him so late in the morning. Usually, he would either receive a mission late at night, or very early in the morning, never this late. His mind kept nudging him in the direction that he wasn't going to enjoy whatever the hokage had in store for him today.

As his feet adjusted rapidly to the change from branches to rooftops, the young boy glanced down below him. He could clearly spot the market beginning to fill with customers as it neared noon. Many could also be seen crowding in the restaurant district, hoping to catch some good lunch. Shinobi, Kunoichi, and Villager alike could be seen walking about, engrossed in their daily routines. Beneath his mask he smiled, knowing he was one of the people that kept this village in such peace.

After all, he was Uzumaki Naruto, age 10, ANBU captain-trainee, and tokubetsu jounin of Konohagakure No Sato, The Village Hidden in the Leaves.

As Naruto landed silently in front of the hokage tower, he couldn't help but notice the smiles of the villagers passing by, seeing a hard working ANBU that they felt secure around. He grinned mischievously beneath his mask. If only they knew. If only they knew I who I was. Naruto knew by instinct that if those people had seen his face instead of his mask, they would have been scowling instead of smiling. For he was also the "demon boy" of Konoha, the container of the all powerful and destructive Kyuubi No Yokou, the great Nine-Tailed Fox Demon that had invaded Konoha 10 years ago.

Naturally, no one had told him at first. But going through Konoha's records, he realized that he was the only child born that fateful day, and so he had questioned Sandaime-jiisan, Itata-sensei, and Ero-sennin about it. Being caught in a corner, they had revealed the truth. At first he was angry and sad and hated Yondaime for leaving him with such a burden, but after his outburst of rage, he realized the young man had had no other choice, and also realized that Yondaime was far too righteous to just seal the demon in anyone. And so came to the correct conclusion that he was the son of Yondaime.

Of course, he wasn't going to boast about it. His real friends, his ANBU friends that is, and his three sensei, cared about him for who he really was, and that was all that mattered to him.

Snapping himself out of his thoughts, he proceeded into the hokage tower. Striding down the halls at a leisurely pace, he passed by many…tall…Shinobi, who gave the excruciatingly short ANBU a questioning look. Okay, so he was 10, and he was only 4' 6", but he was still a child, what could you expect? He didn't let their gazes distract him, and after some wandering, since this place always seemed to get him lost, he arrived at the hokage's office, only to be greeted by some of his friends: Usagi, his fellow ANBU teammate, and Nezumi, another ANBU he knew well. Of course he had seen their faces, but most ANBU recognized each other by their masks.

"Oi, Ohayo Gozaimasu, Kistune." Usagi cheerfully addressed him. Usagi was a happy person anyway, but after his last long S-rank mission, he'd been a bit solemn. _Something good must've happened today…wait…is he laughing at me?_ Naruto noticed that Nezumi was also snickering. _She's always serious, something has to be up._

"Anoo…Ohayo…Usagi, Nezumi…" he replied hesitantly. They opened the door for him and he walked slowly inside, unsure of what was about to transpire. He could still pick out the sniggering of the two ANBU behind him. _Damn, what the hell is going on?_

Naruto saw Sandaime sitting as his usual desk with his usual mound of paperwork surrounding him. _Everything seems normal…_ Naruto let his thought trail off as Sandaime motioned him forward. He took his usual place in front of the Hokage, the same place he stood for receiving his usual missions, but the moment Sandaime looked up him with a playful smirk on his wrinkled face, he knew, this was NOT the usual.

"Ah, Naruto, it's good to see you today. Ogenki desuka?" It was also usual for Sandaime to ask how he was, but the old man's odd smile was still existent.

"Anoo…genki desu…demo…." At his "but" Sandaime frowned, and his expression became that of general concern.

"Nan desuka? Daijoubu ka?" The problem was, he didn't know what it was, nor was he sure he was alright…but he nodded and spoke nevertheless.

"Hai, it's just, everyone is acting strange today…and I don't know why…" Sandaime suddenly burst into laughter. Naruto was genuinely stunned. Now his confusion had reached all new heights.

"Naruto, it's probably your new mission. It's S-rank, demo…" _S-rank?! What's so damn funny about an S-rank mission?! He should be serious, unless…it's one of those important ones that are actually really annoying...Kusou…_

"Wakarimasen…." He was serious. He really didn't understand what as so funny.

"Well, your mission is out of the ordinary. You know that you are the next Toad Sannin, ne?" Naruto nodded, wondering where this was heading. He had known for many years he was being trained for that position. "And unless you've forgotten, there are supposed to be three sannin..." _No…no no no…_Naruto was finally beginning to see where this was going_…just no…please no…onegai!!_ "I strongly believe there are many possible applicants in the ninja academy that will soon become genin." _No!!!!!!_ "And you, being the future Toad Sannin, as well as the youngest ANBU, are more than qualified to take the mission of going undercover in the academy to scout for the other two future sannin." _This cannot be happening._

Naruto was speechless. Ojii-san wanted him to become an…an ACADEMY student?! _No way in hell!!_ Those kids were nothing but sniveling brats, how could he possibly stand it? But he couldn't say no…Because this was his mission, assigned to him by the hokage.

"Well, Naruto? Do you accept?" Naruto nodded ruefully. _This is going to be the worst experience of my life…._

"Ii desu, you start tomorrow. Your teacher is Umino Iruka. There are a box of clothes at your home that you can choose from to wear during your time in the Academy. I want you to gauge each and every student's ability to the fullest." He nodded one last time before walking out the door, and barely caught Sandaime wishing him good luck.

/////////////////Naruto/////////////////

Sitting on the hokage monument was something Naruto had often done as a child. That was a time when he was broken and battered, when he had no friends or comrades. On the top of Yondaime's head was his favorite place to watch the sky in the evenings back then. It soothed his nerves when he was tense, like he was now. It had been years since Naruto had talked, much less interacted with people his own age._ Perhaps,_ he thought, _that was another reason Ojii-san assigned me this mission._

He knew very well that Sandaime only wanted the best for him. He had told Naruto on multiple occasions that he should look for some friends among his peers, but he had never pursued any such action. He sighed and stood up in one swift motion. In the flash on an eye he was back to jumping gracefully along the village rooftops, towards his apartment. As he neared it he noticed the box of clothing Sandaime had spoken of. Landing beside it, he picked up the moderately light box before unlocking the door and stepping into the dark room that was his living area. Naruto was planning on turning in early tonight. He was going to need a good deal of rest if he was to accomplish this mission.

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**Sorrowful Seraphim:** Is it okay so far? Do you approve of my storyline? It is interesting enough? Is the Japanese dialogue okay for you? Comments please…Read &Review…I enjoy feedback….

**AN:** Also, I don't have a beta reader, so I apologize for any grammatical errors...

**Next Chapter:** Awkward Beginnings, The Start of a Illusory Rivalry


	2. Akwards Beginnings: An Illusory Rivalry

**Sorrowful Seraphim:** Wow…I had a pretty good response….the only problem people seem to be having is too much Jap in my sentences...so…okay…I'll put up some Jap notes…Anyway, I'm glad you all like the storyline, please keep reviewing!

**Disclaimer** (since I forgot it last time): If I owned Naruto….Naruto would be a sexy, shoulder length haired bishounen…..so…obviously…I don't own Naruto…only me petty storyline….

**Warnings:** Language, Violence

**Japanese Vocabulary List (prologue):**

Oi- Hey

Ohayo Gozaimasu/ Ohayo- Good Morning

Kitsune- Fox

Usagi- Rabbit

Nezumi- Rat

Anoo- Umm…..

Ogenki Desuka- How are you?

Genki Desu- I'm fine.

Demo…- But…

Nan desuka?- What is it?

Daijoubu ka?- Are you alright?

Hai- Yes

Kusou- Shit!

Wakarimasen- I don't understand.

Onegai- Please

Ii desu- That's/It's good.

Ojii-san- "Old Man" or "Grandpa"

**Chapter 1 Vocabulary List: **

Itai- Ow

Otouto- Little Brother

Boku wa Naruto desu.- I am Naruto.

Ramen ga daisuki desu.- I love ramen.

Okay...I hope you get those...because I will most likely be using some of them in later chapters.

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Chapter 1: Awkward Beginnings, The Start of an Illusory Rivalry

Naruto's eyes fluttered opened. He didn't sit up, as his usual routine involved him reliving the day before in his mind, a common ANBU tactic. It was at the moment, the events of the day before smacked him in the face. _Oh…damn…that's right…I have to start the Academy today._

Naruto had been on multiple S-ranked missions, but they were usually assassinations, not "brat sitting" as he put it. Even though Naruto considered himself more mature than others his age, he knew very well he still had a lot of growing to do…both mental…and physical.

Slowly, he sat up in bed, catching sight of the pile of folded clothes in the corner. Out of the selections Ojii-san had given him, Naruto had chosen an outfit that reminded him of his ANBU occupation, but not so much as to actually give any hints to anyone else.

He was slightly perturbed that the old man had given him, among other outfits, an orange jumpsuit. _Really now, did he actually think I was going to wear that. I may be going to the Academy, but that doesn't mean I want a clothing style that screams "Kill me now!"_

And so, after slipping himself out of his entangled sheets, he trudged silently over to the clothes he had chosen and began to dress himself. Stealth was a key quality in an ANBU, and most members had a habit of being this way even when off duty. As Naruto silently pulled the knee length black shorts up to hips, he suddenly made a wide yawn. Even though he had gone to sleep early, his rest had been filled with uneasiness about the day. After putting on the black short-sleeved shirt and white zip-up vest with the Konoha symbol on the back in red, Naruto tugged his black jounin gloves on around his white gauze wrist wraps, simultaneously stepping into his black sandals that covered the bottom of his ankle wraps. Lastly, he jerked on his tan elbow braces before quietly exiting his room.

On his way down towards the kitchen, Naruto began to heavily contemplate about what the day might bring for him and his future. He realized now that the people he picked would become his life long teammates. They would be the sannin, first in line for the position of hokage, and legends throughout the Shinobi world. Then the nausea came…as Naruto realized, the fate of the village was on his shoulders already, and he wasn't even close to becoming hokage. _Don't they realize I have enough pressure on me as it is?!_

Naruto made his way into his small kitchen. He may not have had a large house, but he was the only one that lived there, and to Naruto, it was the coziest place in the world. As he put the kettle on the slowly heating stove, another thought emerged in Naruto's mind. _What if I don't find anyone suitable for the positions? Would they just be forced to pick the best and train them to their fullest?_ Hmm…Naruto's thought was interrupted at the sound of the kettle whistling. _Ah, the best part of the morning…its ramen time!_

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Quickly discarding his empty miso ramen cup in the trash, Naruto left his apartment, locking it securely behind him. He sauntered slowly down the road towards the academy, enjoying the bustling konoha streets. It had been a while since he'd been able to actually enjoy the serenity of the village. He glued his eyes to all the actions happening around him; the vendors opening up their booths, the baker preparing the ovens, the restaurant chefs cutting fresh vegetables, two academy girls battling out to see who was faster and heading right towards him…wait a minute! But it was too late. Both girls came crashing into him sending Naruto spiraling downwards onto the hard ground.

"Itai!!" Naruto slowly sat up and rubbed his abused forehead. He slowly turned his gaze towards the two girls, who were also recovering from their little "incident." One was a blonde with extremely light blue eyes, and the other…was pink? Pink she was, with beautiful green eyes to accent her hair. The blonde stood up first, followed suit by the pink, whom he immediately walked closer to, waiting impatiently for some sort of apology.

Haruno Sakura was slightly dazed. The last she remembered, she had been racing Ino-pig, and suddenly they'd tripped on something. Looking to her right, she finally saw the cause of their fall. A blond boy about their age was standing in front of them…a cute blond boy. Sakura didn't recall their being any blonds around Konoha other than the Ino's famiy, the Yamanaka's, but this boy's hair was far to bright, and his eyes were also too dark for him to be related to Ino. Then Ino spoke up.

"Hey, you! What's the big idea in being in our way?! Hmm?!" Ino was being far too rude, but before Sakura could yell at her, the mysterious boy answered.

"I don't recall being in your way. This street is for everyone, not just you. Don't be such a hog." Sakura laughed at the irony of the boy's words, only to see Ino stare her down. Then Ino stormed off in a huff towards the academy. Sakura turned back to the boy.

"Sorry about running you down like that. I don't think I've ever seen you before. Who are you?" The boy hesitated before answering.

"My name's Uzumaki Naruto, and it's okay, I know you didn't mean to hit me." He smiled. The brightest smile Sakura had ever seen. She blushed slightly, but then remembered something. _Hey, wait, my crush is Sasuke-kun, not this new boy! But this doesn't mean we can't be friends._

"So, where are you heading? Are you new here? Did your family just move here?" Naruto's eyes widened slightly. Sakura realized she must've sounded a bit nagging.

"Anoo…you ask a lot of questions, it's a bit annoying." **_Annoying?! How dare he! Cha!_** Sakura's inner mind was acting up again, but she kept quiet. "But that's okay, I haven't really talked to anyone my age in a while, so why don't we chat on our way to the Academy. You are an Academy student, ne?"

_Wait, he's an academy student?_ Sakura smiled before following Naruto down the street. She wanted to learn more about this mysterious new blonde.

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The door to Iruka's classroom opened once more, and the other student's all looked curiously to the new arrivals. They immediately recognized the pink-haired Haruno Sakura, but were perplexed at the appearance of a blonde following her. She led him to her usual seat, and he sat down next to her, before addressing the multiple stares aimed his way. Immediately, they all averted their gazes.

Just then, a tan chuunin with a scar on his nose walked into the room. "Ohayo Gozaimasu! It seems we have a new student with us today, Uzumaki Naruto?" Iruka recognized this name as the "kyuubi boy", but no one had seen him in years. _It was believed that he'd died. I guess he's alive after all._ He looked up to see none other than said boy staring at him intently.

"Well then, Naruto, how about you come up here and explain a little about yourself." Naruto slowly rose and positioned himself in front of the class.

_Oh great. It's bad enough I have to be here, but now I have to talk about myself._ Looking around at the entire class, he noticed a few clan members other than the still scowling Yamanaka. He saw a white-eyed Hyuuga heiress, a bored-look Nara, a…normal Akimichi (they eat at every possible moment), an Inuzuka with his pup companion on his head, an Aburame (always wearing the sun glasses), and…the last Uchiha.

_Itachi-sensei's otouto...well, he looks the part of an Uchiha, serious and brooding. I wonder how strong he is…_Naruto suddenly remembered he was supposed to be presenting, so he thought a few quick facts up and spoke to his anxious "classmates."

"Ohayo, Boku wa Naruto desu. Ramen ga daisuki desu. One day, I wish to be hokage. I train everyday and love learning new jutsus." _There…that should be enough._ He glanced to the one called Iruka, who nodded, and he silently made his way back to his seat next to Sakura.

Iruka took his place at the board and began a lecture on the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Naruto, who was bored to death, quickly fell asleep. Umino Iruka was not one to be easily stunned, but he was surprised to find that his new student had fallen asleep on his first day. "Ahem…Naruto? NARUTO!!" The blonde looked up groggily. "Sleeping on your first day, eh? Well, if you think you can just skip all of this, why don't you fill us in on the rest of today's lesson: The Five Great Shinobi Villages.

Naruto sighed heavily. "Sure. The Five Great Shinobi Villages are Konohagakure, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure. Konoha is our village, which is located in Fire Country. Kumogakure is the Cloud Village and is located in Lightning Country. Kirigakure is the Mist Village and is located in Water Country, Iwagakure is the Stone Village and is located in Earth Country, and Sunagakure is the Sand Village and is located in Wind Country."

The entire class was astounded this new boy was so smart. Even Iruka was surprised that a new first year Academy student knew so much.

Uchiha Sasuke sat and contemplated this new boy's arrival. While he felt threatened that another boy could possibly outdo him in grades, which he not allow, another thought was also running through his head. _I wonder…just maybe… if I finally have a rival worth fighting…_

Naruto sensed someone staring at him, and looked up to see none other than the prideful Uchiha boring his gaze into Naruto's skull. Their eyes locked for just a moment before Naruto looked away. _Does he…suspect something?_

_Naruto…your knowledge, your look, you actions, your arrival…what are you hiding?_ Sasuke slimmed his gaze. He was going to find out more about this new boy.

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**Sorrowful Seraphim:** Okay. A new chapter! And longer than the Prologue of course! I hope the Jap key helped some…I want my readers to understand the text. Read & Review! Arigatou Gozaimasu!

**AN:** Next chapter will start with a timeskip!

**Next Chapter:** Three years gone by! It's the Graduation Exams!


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